[G] Positive Mindset: The Key to SC2

Oftentimes, people get so caught-up in the stress of the game that they forget to have fun. At the start of every game, don't me mute and don't be rude: put out the GL HF. If he doesn't respond, that's fine - you're probably in a more positive mindset and now you know you have that edge over him - so smile to yourself . Take it a step further every game by wishing your opponent the best of luck and telling him to have a blast, and leaving every game with "GG nice timing push or "GG wp, that harrass was killer, man!" If you stay good mannered, you're more likely to stay in a focused and positive mindset. Then, instead of rage-quitting and queuing another game while you're angry, you can take the reasons you lost and apply them to your game to further your growth. And who knows, maybe that player to whom you showed respect in your gracious exit from the game will provide you with a couple tips and practice games to really help you overcome that flaw in your game.

Now, I'm not saying everyone should point at IdrA and do the throat-slash like oGsMC did at MLG, but SC2 is competitive and you have to know you have an edge over your opponent to play your best. When I play a game, I use positive self-talk to stay pumped and focus. Yes, it sounds like something an insane asylum resident would preach, but I assure you it's been proven effective. There are two types of Self-Talk I recommend. The first is motivational self-talk: say something to get yourself into the zone like "I'm going to win this game" or my personal favorite "The way I see it, those are my ladder points - You're just holding them for me ". The second type is instructional self-talk. For example, say "I'm going to get my speed up early, then expand, then I'm going to drone to 27 get a warren down and grind this guy's front door with ling/roach. Man, I'm going to FORCE the issue until he makes a mistake, and when he does, I'm going to capitalize on it." Therefore, talking to yourself doesn't mean you're crazy - it keeps you focused on your specific goals in the game and gives you that oh-so-critical mindset advantage.

How many times have you heard someone complain about how strong colossus are, how slow hydras are, or how this guy or that guy is a maphacker. Ignore this type of thinking. Every SC2 player would learn and play significantly better if they considered imbalance, hacks, and cheese none-existent. If you stop focusing on things you can't control, you'll start focusing on the things you can. When someone cheeses you, treat it like you played a 30 minute game and still be polite and good-mannered. When someone marine/scv all-ins you, avoid thoughts like "What a cheesy noob" or "can he not win a real game?" When you get cheesed, exit the game with class, and pay attention to how you could have scouted a little earlier, how you could have reacted a tad faster, how the execution of your defense could be improved upon. Cheese is a part of the game, you can't get rid of it but you can be adequately prepared for it.

This last tip isn't absolutely necessary to success, but if you want to play at your best you have to be at your best - both physically and mentally. I have celiac disease, so my diet is heavily restricted, but ever since the diagnosis I've paid very careful attention to what I eat and I feel and play the better for it. I'm not going to lecture you on working out and eating right, but you WILL notice a difference in your focus if you're properly nourished and you WILL notice a difference in your stamina if you're in better shape. Something I do frequently is workout in between games. You don't need a strict routine - but do some pushups, situps, planks, whatever - Get the blood flowing and the heart racing in between games and snack on blueberries and yogurt instead of nachos and ice cream. There's no reason someone who plays 12hour days in SC2 can't be in excellent physical condition - try to apply your in-game dedication to other areas of your life!

I think what you experience is similar to the psychology behind a gambling addict (I don't mean that to offend you lol bare with me). You start to lose and you think "I need to get my money back." It's like in poker when you're playing well for an hour, and then you lose a HUGE hand (or get bluffed) and you go on tilt. You start thinking about that hand and how you should have played it, and your overall focus deteriorates. You start to bluff too much and you don't stick to your planned strategy.

The same things happen in StarCraft when you're losing, people start to blindly all-in and they deviate from the gameplan that usually leads to success. People place a lot of importance on points/ladder rank/win-loss ratio, so there's a certain level of stress when you start losing. You'll start thinking about the game where you got cheesed and lost while playing new games, and that's basically like a poker player being on "tilt" - you won't be "In the zone" so your timings/execution will start so slip. That's why you need to GG after every game and review (with an open mind) the games you lose, carefully looking over your mistakes and your opponent's build/thought process.

If you find yourself rage-quitting games, being bad-manner, or even just have those familiar "Ugh this guy sucks, what a cheeser" or "I suck, I should be winning, what's wrong with me?" thoughts, it's time to take a break. It doesn't have to be a long break just do something that'll renew your confidence/focus. Coffee and a light workout do wonders for me, some players save replays where they perform really well so watch that and remember how good you're capable of playing. When you sit back in front of the screen, you should be focused on your strategy and your minset: the only thing you should think about yourself is "I'm a great sc2 player and I'm going to win these games, nothing is going to stand in my way."